2014–2015 Admission to the College

We seek students who will thrive in our classrooms and bring vibrancy to our campus. We review each application individually and take into consideration quality of academic preparation, which includes both difficulty of course work and grades, extracurricular activities, individual talents and character, recommendations, and ACT or SAT scores. A campus visit to meet with an admissions counselor is recommended, as it helps complete the picture for both the prospective student and the college. Westminster admits students whose academic records indicate that they possess the skills and maturity necessary for success in college. Students are admitted without discrimination as to race, visa status, color, nationality, creed, sex, physical handicaps, or veteran status.

A standard college preparatory high school academic program is required and some level of advanced work is highly recommended.

Admission to the college does not constitute acceptance into all of its programs. Students applying for admission into the Education and Nursing programs should consult the appropriate sections of this Academic Catalog for additional admission requirements. Music students must audition to be accepted into the major or minor. Students applying to graduate programs should review the appropriate sections in the Graduate Academic Catalog.

Applications for admission are accepted on a continual basis and are processed until the beginning of each academic term. Westminster operates rolling admissions, so it’s best to apply as soon as possible. To preserve the faculty-student ratio, class sizes are limited. Westminster College reserves the right to close the class earlier than dates specified if enrollment goals are met before those dates. To accept an offer of admission and reserve a place in the class, an admitted applicant must submit a non-refundable $250 tuition deposit within thirty days of admission. For Fall semester admission, if an extension is requested in writing, the deadline will be extended to May 1 or possibly later, depending on circumstances.

Admission Requirements

New Freshmen

Individual applications are reviewed on the basis of a student’s potential for success at Westminster. Academic preparation, which includes both coursework and grades, is most important. Also important to the review are items such as entrance exams (ACT or SAT), recommendations, and extracurricular activities. A campus visit to meet with an academic counselor is recommended, as it helps complete the picture for both the prospective student and the college.

A student currently enrolled in high school may be accepted for admission on the basis of six semesters of high school work. The college may require additional grade reports during the student’s senior year, and will require final transcripts showing high school graduation.

Transfer Students

A student with a cumulative grade point average of 2.5 (C+) or better in academic courses from all previous college work, and who is in good academic standing at his/her previous institution(s) may be considered for admission as a transfer student.

Detailed information regarding Westminster College transfer policies can be found in the Degree Requirements section of this catalog.

Special Students

Special students are defined as students who are enrolled at the college but have not applied for, or been accepted into, a degree program. Special students, therefore, are those who plan to take courses for “interest only.” Special students are subject to the academic regulations of the college. Credit earned while in special student status is not considered toward a degree unless the student applies for admission to, and is accepted by, the college as a degree-seeking student. A maximum of 30 semester hours of coursework taken as a special student or non-degree-seeking student may be considered for credit earned toward a degree. Special students are not eligible to receive institutional or federal financial aid.Special students who wish to pursue a degree must complete the admission process as a degree-seeking student. Special students must be admitted as degree-seeking prior to the first day of classes in the semester in which they wish to be considered degree-seeking. Applications for admission as a degree-seeking student will be considered after one or more semesters of coursework as a special student.

Readmission of Former Students

Students who wish to register at the college after an absence of three or more academic semesters (not including May or summer terms) must apply for readmission through the Office of Admissions. Re-entering students are subject to the academic requirements in effect at the time of their re-entry. Westminster College makes every effort to honor coursework taken in previous years; however, due to curriculum changes, this cannot be guaranteed. Previous coursework in question must be reviewed by individual academic departments with a final agreement submitted in writing to the Registrar’s Office.

Former students who have attended other colleges or universities during their absence must apply for readmission as transfer students and must meet all applicable requirements for admission. It should be noted that students who attend other colleges or universities during a summer session are not required to reapply. Transfer credit for such courses is subject to the college’s regular transfer policies as stated in the Degree Requirements section of this catalog

In accordance with the Higher Education Reauthorization Act, Westminster College will readmit veterans at the same academic status in which they left the institution, provided the veteran notifies the college in advance of their deployments and are not absent from the institution for more than five years, cumulatively. Those students who fail to provide advance notice may re-enroll after providing proof of service.

Concurrent Enrollment

Qualified high school students may enroll at Westminster, while still attending high school, for a maximum of eight credit hours (per semester) with the permission of the Office of Admissions, the applicant’s high school principal or guidance counselor, and parent or legal guardian. Written recommendations from the appropriate individuals and an official transcript indicating a grade point average of 3.00 or higher in academic coursework must be submitted to the Office of Admissions. Additional credit hours may be requested and must be approved by the student’s Westminster academic advisors.

Non-High School Graduates

Students who have not completed high school, or who have graduated from a non-accredited high school, may be admitted to the college on the basis of scores received on the General Educational Development examination (GED). A score of 500 or higher in each category and a minimum overall score of 550 is necessary for applicants who submit the equivalency certificate in lieu of a high school diploma.

Applying for Admission

How to Apply

Students must submit:

An application for admission and $50 application fee. The form may be obtained from the Office of Admissions or on the web site at westminstercollege.edu/apply.

An official transcript of high school credit sent directly to the Office of Admissions by the high school.

Official transcript(s) from each college or university attended (for incoming transfer students) sent directly to the Office of Admissions by each college or university. An official high school transcript may also be required of a transfer applicant who has completed fewer than 30 semester credit hours or 45 quarter credit hours of college or university work at another institution.

ACT or SAT test scores (for incoming freshmen).

Guidance Counselor Recommendation (for incoming freshmen).

Incoming freshmen must submit a final high school transcript documenting a high school graduation date prior to beginning classes. All records submitted to the college become the property of Westminster College as part of each student’s permanent record and are not returnable.

When to Apply

High school seniors should apply for admission early in their senior year if they plan to enter the college during the following Fall semester. Transfer and international students should apply at least three months prior to the beginning of the semester they plan to attend.

Notification of Admission

Applicants receive a letter notifying them of their eligibility for admission approximately two weeks after the Office of Admissions receives all required materials (application forms, transcripts, and test scores). Transfer students receive a separate summary of transfer credit evaluation.

Once the applicant has been advised of acceptance, a $250 tuition deposit must be submitted to guarantee a place in the entering class. Checks should be made payable to Westminster College and sent to the Office of Admissions. Tuition deposits may also be submitted online at westminstercollege.edu/deposit.

The tuition deposit should be submitted within 30 days of acceptance, or (for those students applying for financial aid) within 30 days of the student’s receipt of his/her financial aid award notice. Students who need additional time should contact the Office of Admissions. The deposit is credited to the student’s account and is deducted from tuition at the beginning of the semester.

Students planning to live in campus housing must submit a housing contract and a $200 room reservation deposit by the deadline date published on the website or housing contract to reserve a place in the residence halls. Housing deposits are refunded in full if a written cancellation is received on or before the deadline for a given semester.

Students planning to live in campus housing must also submit: 1) a medical release form, 2) confidential health questionnaire, and 3) immunization records to the Director of Residence Life. These medical forms are required of all students who live in campus housing. First-year students are required to live in campus housing during the fall and spring semesters. Exceptions may be granted in specific situations, including for students who plan to live with family in the Salt Lake City area. Please see westminstercollege.edu/housing for the Exemption Request Form.

International Students

The college accepts and enrolls students who are citizens of countries other than the United States. Full-time international students are issued Forms I–20 to enable them to apply for student visas.

Admission Requirements

To be considered for enrollment at the college, international students must meet the same admissions requirements as domestic students in addition to other specific international requirements. International students must submit the following materials to the Office of Admissions:

Application for admission and a $50 application fee

Recommendation letter from high school counselor or teacher

Official transcripts, academic records, diplomas, national examination results, certificates or degrees received from all secondary, post-secondary, university and/or professional schools and any necessary translations. These transcripts should be submitted directly to an approved professional evaluation service for a course-by-course evaluation (World Education Services or other Westminster approved service). Students who graduate from an American International School are exempt from this requirement. There may be other exceptions granted on a case-by-case basis.

Official test scores: The SAT and the ACT are not required for international students. However, as further evidence of their academic performance, we strongly encourage students to submit scores if they have taken either exam. These scores are required,
however, for non-U.S. citizens whose primary and secondary education took place in Australia, Canada, Great Britain, Ireland, New Zealand, or the U.S. The scores may also be required from students who studied at an American International School.

Evidence of adequate financial support to cover the total cost of attendance for two semesters. This most commonly comes in the form of a certified bank statement or bank letter as well as a Statement of Financial Responsibility as issued by Westminster College.

International students who are non-native speakers of English must submit results of a standardized English language test. Students whose primary and secondary education took place in one of the countries listed above or who graduated from an English-speaking high school may be exempt from this requirement. Westminster College accepts scores from TOEFL, IELTS, or Pearsons. The required scores for undergraduate admission include one
of the following:

TOEFL ibt: 79
TOEFL pbt: 550
IELTS: 6.5
Pearsons: 53

Multilingual international students who do not meet the Westminster College English language admission requirement may be conditionally accepted to the College through the English for International Students Bridge Program.

The required scores for the Bridge Level 2 Program include one of the following:

TOEFL ibt: 61
TOEFL pbt: 500
IELTS: 6.0
Pearsons: 44

The required scores for the Bridge Level 1 Program include one of the following:

TOEFL ibt: 45
TOEFL pbt: 450
IELTS: 5.5
Pearsons: 39

International students who have attended another college or university in the U. S. and have completed a minimum of 15 academic credits may be accepted as transfer students and may not need to present a TOEFL score.

All materials submitted to the Office of Admissions become the property of the college and cannot be returned to the student or sent to another school. If the student’s school or ministry of education issues only one copy of secondary school grades or examination scores, the Office of Admissions will make a certified copy and return the original to the student; however, in all cases copies must be made from originals. Duplicated copies will not be accepted.

Once all required documentation has been received and the student has been accepted for admission, a Form I–20 will be sent to the student.

International Exchange Students

The college accepts and enrolls students from our partner institutions who are citizens of countries other than the United States for exchange programs. Full-time international exchange students are issued Forms DS-2019 forms to enable them to apply for student visas.

Admission Requirements

Exchange students must submit the following materials to the Office of Student International Services:

Nomination letter from an academic advisor, professor, dean or exchange coordinator at the partner institution.

Official transcripts, academic records, diplomas, national examination results, certificates or degrees received from all secondary, post-secondary, university and/or professional schools. All transcripts must be submitted with an official English translation

Evidence of adequate financial support to cover the total cost of attendance for the
duration of the exchange program (one or two semesters). This most commonly comes in the form of a certified bank statement or bank letter.

International Exchange students who are non-native speakers of English must submit results of a standardized English language test. Students who may be exempt from this requirement include students whose primary and secondary education took place in Australia, Canada, Great Britain, Ireland, New Zealand, or the U.S. or students who graduated from an English-speaking high school. At the discretion of the Admissions Office, this requirement may also be satisfied through other comparable means. Westminster College accepts scores from TOEFL, IELTS, or Pearsons. The required scores for undergraduate admission include one of the following:

TOEFL ibt: 79
TOEFL pbt: 550
IELTS: 6.5
Pearsons: 53

Exchange students who have attended another college or university in the U. S. and have
completed a minimum of 15 academic credits may not need to present a TOEFL score.

Copy of the identification page of the applicant’s passport

All materials submitted to the Office of Admissions become the property of the college and cannot be returned to the student or sent to another school. If the student’s school or ministry of education issues only one copy of secondary school grades or examination scores, the Office of Admissions will make a certified copy and return the original to the student; however, in all cases copies must be made from originals. Duplicated copies will not be accepted.

Once all required documentation has been received and the student has been accepted for admission, a Form DS-2019 will be sent to the student.

Credit for Advanced Standing

Transfer Credit

The college accepts credit earned at other regionally-accredited colleges and/or universities in which a grade of C- or better has been earned and which is appropriate to the degree being sought. Courses which are remedial in nature or below college level are not acceptable. For detailed information regarding Westminster College transfer policies, refer to the section on Degree Requirements.